EP2146659B1 - Device for processing a fluid material - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for processing a liquid agent is provided, wherein the means is kept in a pressurized container. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for the care of medical or dental handpieces.

Such a care device is for example from the DE 199 13 945 A1 the applicant known. It is used in particular to clean and maintain the drive channels and the rotatably mounted drive elements of dental handpieces. Here, the handpieces are coupled with corresponding terminals, are passed through the cleaning and care media through the various channels of the tubular handpieces. In particular, the care product finally supplied in this case serves to protect the individual components from excessive wear during use.

The care product used in the care of such medical or dental handpieces is usually provided by the manufacturer in the form of spray cans. These cans contain, under pressure, the care agent and provide it when needed, the device providing a corresponding coupling device with an adapter for connection to the spray can or more generally to the pressurized reservoir.

The care products used in such care measures are usually highly flammable. Furthermore, since the containers are under pressure care must be taken to ensure a reliable connection between the care product supply container and the care appliance. Despite various solutions, a screw connection has hitherto still proven to be the optimum connection. However, this has the disadvantage that the removal and new insertion of a reservoir is cumbersome or at least means that the accessibility to the coupling device must be facilitated, for example by enlarging the housing.

The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a way to produce a reliable coupling between a reservoir for a care product and a corresponding device, although the handling should be facilitated in comparison to previously known solutions.

The object is achieved by a device for further processing a liquid agent, which has the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The solution according to the invention is again based on the idea of designing the coupling device in such a way that a screw connection with the container under pressure can be formed via a corresponding adapter. According to the invention, however, now the coupling device is designed such that the adapter is pivotally mounted.

Accordingly, a device for processing a liquid agent, in particular a care device for medical or dental handpieces is proposed, wherein the means is kept in a pressurized container, the device is a coupling device with a pivotally mounted adapter to form a screw with the pressurized Container and wherein the coupling device comprises a clamp-like support for the adapter.

Due to the pivotal mounting of the adapter to form the screw with the pressurized container, the change of a reservoir for a corresponding care agent is facilitated, since for the screwing and unscrewing the adapter and thus the container to be attached thereto can be positioned such that the Container is easier to access. In particular, it may be provided that the adapter of the coupling device between an operating position in which the container is disposed completely within a housing of the device, and a maintenance position is pivotable, wherein in the maintenance position at least a part of the reservoir protrudes out of the device housing. In this case, it can be provided, in particular, that locking means are provided on the coupling device, by means of which the operating position on the one hand and the maintenance position on the other hand are defined.

The solution according to the invention is thus characterized by the fact that on the one hand a very reliable connection between the reservoir and the device can be made, on the other hand, the insertion and removal of the Reservoir is facilitated. Overall, this improves the handling of the device.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Geräts zum Pflegen ärztlicher oder zahnärztlicher Handstücke;

Figur 2

eine seitliche Ansicht des Geräts von Figur 1;

Figuren 3 bis 6

verschiedene Ansichten der Kupplungsvorrichtung mit dem schwenkbar gelagerten Adapter;

Figur 7

den in die Wartungsstellung verschwenkten Adapter; und

Figuren 8 und 9

Anordnungen einer mit dem Adapter verbundenen Pflegemitteldose in den zwei verschiedenen Schwenkstellungen.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a perspective view of a device according to the invention for the care of medical or dental handpieces;

FIG. 2

a side view of the device from FIG. 1 ;

FIGS. 3 to 6

various views of the coupling device with the pivotally mounted adapter;

FIG. 7

the pivoted into the maintenance position adapter; and

FIGS. 8 and 9

Arrangements of an adapter box connected to the adapter in the two different pivot positions.

FIG. 1 shows a care device provided generally with the reference numeral 1, the individual parts or assemblies are integrated into a housing 2. This is formed substantially parallelepiped, wherein on the front side of a first pivot door 3 is formed, can be obtained via the access to a care room 4. FIG. 1 shows here the care device 1 with the door open 3.

The care room 4 is used for receiving to be cleaned and to be cared for medical or dental handpieces, for this purpose, several plug connection parts 5 are formed within the care room 4, on which the handpieces can be plugged. The connector parts 5 are formed with corresponding supply lines through which cleaning and / or care products can be introduced into the handpieces in order to care for them. With regard to the special procedure for cleaning and care of the handpieces is here on the already mentioned DE 199 13 945 A1 directed. An operation of the device 1 via a formed on the top of the housing 2 control panel. 6

In particular, the care product, which is passed through the handpieces at the end of the cleaning and care process, is provided by an exchangeable storage container in the form of a pressurized can 50. To accommodate the box 50 is shown in FIG FIG. 1 in the housing 2 a further receiving space 7 is formed, which is accessible via a further, lateral door 8. By means of a special coupling device, which will be explained in more detail below, the can 50 is connected to the device 1, so that during the operation of the device 1, the care agent can be removed.

The care product commonly used to clean and care for medical or dental handpieces is flammable, so when connecting the pressure box 50 to the device 1 a secure connection should be made. The coupling device provided for this purpose, which, for example, in the side view in FIG FIG. 2 is shown and provided with the reference numeral 10, accordingly, an adapter 11, which is designed to form a screw connection with the pressure box 50. This results in the problem that the can 50 must be attached to the adapter 11 in a suitable manner, which resulted in previously known embodiments to a relatively complicated handling. In particular, a grasping and screwing in or out of the box 50 in the in FIG. 1 shown position difficult to perform because the space in the receiving space 7 are very cramped. Accordingly, to facilitate handling, the coupling device 10 is configured in a special way, which will be explained below.

The peculiarity of in the FIGS. 3 to 7 closer coupling device 10 is that it has an adapter 11 which is pivotally mounted. The adapter 11 has according to the illustrations on its underside an insertion opening 12 for the valve port of the pressure box 50, which is provided with an internal thread 13 to form a screw connection with the can 50. At the bottom of the introduction opening 12, an O-ring 14 is arranged, over which an additional seal is achieved in order to finally reliably produce a pressure-tight connection with the can 50. Through the adapter 11 extends a feedthrough line or bore 15, which ends with its upper end to a connecting piece 16 for a media line, then ultimately the care device 1, the corresponding care agent can be supplied. This feedthrough line 15 can optionally be opened or closed via a check valve 17 that can be actuated via a tap 11 formed on the front of the adapter or lever 18, thereby further increasing the reliability.

According to the sectional view in FIG. 4 the adapter 11 is mounted on a bracket-shaped holder 20, wherein two lateral pins 21 a engage in corresponding openings or recesses 21 b of the adapter 11. By these pins 21a, which are attached to lateral arms 22 of the holder 20, a pivot axis is defined, which makes it possible to pivot the adapter 11 between two different positions. By formed on the outside of the adapter 11 grooves 19 and with these grooves 19 cooperating pins 23 which are fixed to the undersides of the bracket-like support member 20, latching devices are formed by which two different pivot positions of the adapter 11 are defined. In a first position, the adapter 11 is oriented vertically. This position corresponds to an operating position in which the spray can 50 as in FIG. 1 represented completely within the receiving space 7 is arranged. In contrast, the in FIG. 7 illustrated maintenance position characterized in that the adapter 11 is pivoted about an angle of about 30 ° to 45 ° relative to the holding member 20. A projecting from the adapter towards the bottom guide 25 is pivoted out of the housing in this case.

According to the representations in the FIGS. 8 and 9 , in which FIG. 8 the maintenance position and FIG. 9 shows the operating position, in the maintenance position, the can 50 - at least the lower end - led out of the housing 2 of the care device 1. The can 50 can therefore be placed obliquely from the bottom on the latched in the maintenance position adapter 11 and screwed with this. This process is easy to carry out, since with laterally pivoted adapter 11 and thus outstanding can 50, this can be included in a simple manner. After the screw connection between the box 50 and adapter 11 has been made, this is pivoted into the operating position and thus the can as shown in FIG FIG. 1 completely is the receiving space 7 introduced.

The advantage of this particular embodiment is that the replacement of the can is very easy to perform, but at the same time a secure and especially pressure-tight connection between the adapter and the box can be made within a screw. Thus, the device is easy to handle with high reliability.

Claims (7)

1. A device (1) for further processing a fluid agent, in particular a maintenance device for medical or dental handpieces, wherein the agent is stored in a pressurized container (50), wherein the device (1) has a coupling apparatus (10) with a pivotably mounted adapter (11) for forming a screw connection to the pressurized container (50), and wherein the coupling apparatus (10) has a clasp-like holder (20) for the adapter.
2. A device according to claim 1,
   characterized
   in that the adapter (11) of the coupling apparatus (10) is pivotable between an operating position and a maintenance position.
3. A device according to claim 2,
   characterized
   in that the coupling apparatus (10) has latching means (19, 23) which firstly define the operating position and secondly define the maintenance position.
4. A device according to claim 2 or 3,
   characterized
   in that a container (50) coupled to the adapter (11) in the maintenance position protrudes out of a housing (2) of the device (1).
5. A device according to one of claims 2 to 4,
   device according to claim 2 or 3.
   characterized
   in that a container (50) coupled to the adapter (11) in the operating position is arranged vertically in the device (1).
6. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by
   an accommodating space (7) for the container (50), accessible via a door (8).
7. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by
   shut-off means (17, 18) located on the adapter (11) for optionally opening or closing off a supply line (15) which leads from the container (50) to the device (1).

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